The scheduled three-belt unification bout between WBO/IBF middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara has been canceled after Alimkhanuly tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.
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Event Changes and Replacement Fight
The matchup was slated as the co-main event for the PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view this Saturday (8 p.m. ET) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, headlined by Isaac «Pitbull» Cruz defending his interim WBC super lightweight title against WBA super featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr.
Despite the change, Lara will remain on the card and defend his 160-pound belt against Johan Gonzalez, who was already training as a standby replacement in case of any complications.
Positive Test Result and Notification
On Tuesday, VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman sent an email notifying parties of the adverse finding. Alimkhanuly’s urine sample was collected on November 15 in Porter Ranch, California, with results arriving that same Tuesday.
The report stated: «Adverse analytical finding: Meldonium detected at a concentration above the adjusted minimum reporting threshold based on the sample’s specific gravity.»
Athlete’s Response
The boxer has 10 days to request a B-sample analysis, though it is extremely rare for results to differ from the initial finding. Alimkhanuly, who was scheduled to fly to San Antonio that night before PBC canceled his flight, expressed his surprise on social media: «I have always supported clean sport. VADA took the first sample and everything came back fine. I have not changed my vitamins. I don’t know what happened with the second test, so I requested a reanalysis.»
About the Banned Substance
Meldonium has been prohibited by WADA since 2016, both in and out of competition, for its ability to enhance endurance and reduce fatigue—particularly beneficial in the championship rounds of a fight. It is the same substance for which Maria Sharapova was sanctioned in 2016, and which caused the cancellation of Alexander Povetkin’s fight with Deontay Wilder that same year.
Alimkhanuly’s Championship Path
The 32-year-old undefeated champion (17-0, 12 KOs) unified the WBO and IBF titles by defeating Vincenzo Gualtieri in 2023. His most recent fight was in April, when he knocked out Anauel Ngamissengue in Kazakhstan. He had pursued a unification bout for an extended period until Top Rank and PBC finalized the matchup with Lara.
Lara’s New Opponent
Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs), a 42-year-old Cuban based in Houston and the oldest active world champion, is a former dominant super welterweight titlist. Since moving to 160 pounds in 2021, he has made several defenses, though with limited activity and lower-profile opponents. His last performance was in September 2024, where he stopped Danny Garcia in the ninth round.
His fight with Gonzalez will now move down in the bout order, while the matchup between O’Shaquie Foster (WBC super featherweight champion) and Stephen Fulton Jr. (WBC featherweight champion) will occupy the co-main event position.
Johan Gonzalez Profile
Gonzalez (36-4, 34 KOs) is a 34-year-old Venezuelan based in Las Vegas who holds a 2-2 record in his last four fights. In May 2024, he was knocked out in the ninth round by Jesus Ramos; he then scored a second-round KO over Ivan Herrera; dropped a seventh-round stoppage to undefeated Yoenis Tellez; and in March earned a close split-decision victory over former unified super welterweight champion Jarrett Hurd.
Notably, Lara’s last defeat came against Hurd in their memorable 2018 unification bout recognized as Fight of the Year.
